Embracing Uncertainty in Education
Why the best moments in Montessori environments are the unplanned ones
“Montessori education thrives on chance encounters.”
This statement, part of Sue Pritzker’s keynote at the Montessori Alliance of Tennessee conference, encapsulates the work of observing for, and responding to, human development. It is precisely the uncertainty and uniqueness of chance encounters which make them key moment for learning and growth.
One of my fondest memories as a student in a Lower Elementary Montessori classroom was the day we found a box turtle on the playground. A group of us huddled around it, trying to understand where it came from, what it’s natural habitat was, how big it would grow- the questions went on and on.
My seasoned Montessori guides saw us huddled around the turtle, and we spent the rest of the afternoon returning it to its habitat and then learning everything we could possibly want to know about box turtles.
The lessons that my elementary guide had prepared were not about box turtles. In fact, I recall her having to research alongside us because there were questions we had that she did not know the answers to.
This is why, in order to maximize our chance encounters, we must consider the preparation of the adult guide, because the ability to observe and capitalize on these chance encounters is a learned skills, not an innate one.
Montessori Guides as Masters of Uncertainty
In a traditional classroom, teachers meticulously plan every lesson, knowing exactly what to expect.
When you walk into a traditional classroom, students are seated in rows, all working on the same activity. Teachers are assessed on their ability to control the behavior of the students at all times of the school day.
Conversely, Montessori guides act more like a coach or a jazz band leader. They embrace the unknown, ready to adapt to students' interests and explorations. The goal of a Montessori guide is not to control the child, but to follow them.
There is a misconception that experienced Montessori guides transition from operating within a space of uncertainty to a space of certainty. The logic goes that once they’ve mastered their lessons and become skilled with observing, that they “know what to expect.”
In conversation with seasoned Montessorians, and in my own experience, the opposite is true.
Seasoned guides are adept at pivoting and adapting to student interests, making it seem as if everything was planned.
Uncertainty and Adolescents
In a recent conversation with Montessorian Tom Brown, he remarked to me that most adults are afraid of young people, particularly adolescents. We see their unpredictability as a threat, and therefore seek to control them.
Tom said that “adults often want to control in children what we hate about ourselves.”
I had to take a minute to let that statement sink in, because it’s a powerful one.
We know from research and decades of practitioner observations is that adolescents are thoughtful, kind, funny, and have a strong sense of social justice. Yet our fear of adolescents prevents most adults from seeing that.
It has become clear to me that in order to embrace uncertainty as a Montessori guide, to follow the child/adolescent on their journey of human development, we must be vulnerable with young people and let go of our fear of them.
One of the most valuable responses a guide can offer to a student inquiry is, "That's a great idea. I don't know much about that, but I can show you how to find out."
In a traditional environment, this is seen as weakness by the teacher. An opportunity for the students to “pounce” and take control from the class. But if we let go of our fear, if we truly co-construct learning, then these moments are opportunities, not detriments.
Embracing Chance Encounters
When I reflect on the most powerful moments in my work as a Montessori guide, none of them were planned.
This isn’t because I am a bad planner, but because I intentionally left room in my plans for chance encounters, not knowing what would happen.
Our goal as Montessori guides is not to transition from uncertainty to certainty but to increase our capacity to embrace uncertainty.
We must appreciate the wonder and mystery of human development, confident that our children and adolescents will show us the way!
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https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lE1Z3lQFkiZ9YZtPlvkSutdverMrBcz_/view?usp=sharing
This reminds me of something my trainer shared in our elementary training. Everyday, the children should walk into the classroom and feel like they've just been invited on some grand adventure where the possibilities for exploration and discovery before them should feel limitless. I like the idea of posing this to the guide too: everyday in the environment it should feel like the potential for discovery - the children's discovery and your self-discovery as a guide - should feel limitless. An open field.